Deception by Carol Ericson Read Free Book Online Page A

next to the scuff from the air bag.
    “What the hell?”
    Touching the wound with trembling fingers, she said, “Someone threw something.”
    Dylan scanned the ground and saw a sharp-edged rock at Mia’s feet. Anger coursed through his veins. “Baxter, get these people out of here.”
    He tucked Mia against his side and guided her to the dilapidated porch while his officers began blasting at the crowd through bullhorns.
    Dylan held up the rock. He didn’t need a bullhorn. “If I find out who threw this rock, I’m bringing you up on assault charges.”
    The crowd took on a frightened aspect, as if it feared its own strength. Slowly it melted away, but nobody stepped forward with information about who threw the rock.
    Dylan crouched beside Mia. “Do you want me to call the paramedics?”
    “For a cut on the chin?” She shook her head and her silky, dark hair slipped over her shoulder. “I’m okay.”
    Why did she have to keep trying to prove her toughness to him? He’d known her since childhood, and she’d always been a leader with a spine of steel. Of course, sometimes she’d led her followers, including his sister, into all kinds of craziness, but that only added to her charm.
    “I know you don’t have running water in that house or anything close to a clean bandage, so you’re going to have to get that cleaned up and dressed.”
    She pointed across the street. “Is Michelle Girard back yet?”
    “No, not yet. School doesn’t start for another week.”
    More sirens wailed down the street and an ambulance swung into view. Dylan shrugged. “I guess Officer Brady called it in.”
    “Those EMTs are going to get tired of being at my beck and call.”
    “Stop talking. You’re making it bleed more.”
    The paramedics hustled from their van, bags in hand. “Do you need to go to the hospital?”
    Mia rolled her eyes, trying to be the tough girl again. “It’s just a cut on the chin.”
    Dylan hefted the rock in his palm. “It was a shot to the face with this. When did you have your last tetanus shot?”
    “That’s what I’d like to know.” The EMT snapped open his bag, all business.
    Dylan stepped back and allowed the paramedics to do their jobs. Mia insisted she didn’t need to be carted to the hospital, but she sat patiently as they cleaned and dressed her wound.
    He eyed the stragglers, as Brady darted among them, notepad in hand. Grady turned to Dylan and shrugged, and Dylan motioned him over.
    “Nothing?”
    “Nobody is admitting to seeing anything, but I think they all got spooked when their little protest turned violent.”
    Dylan shoved a hand in his pocket and half turned toward Columbella House. “This house does things to people. Do you believe in evil auras or bad vibes?”
    He’d expected his officer to snort at him and call him crazy, but Grady slid a glance at the old house and clenched his jaw.
    “Usually not, but this house? Bad news all the way around.” He hunched in and cupped a hand around his mouth. “Don’t tell anyone, but I’m on the side of the folks who want this thing torn down and turned into a resort hotel.”
    “You don’t think the bad vibes would persist?”
    “You have a point there.”
    “What are you two whispering about?” Mia, a white bandage plastered to her chin, strolled toward them.
    Dylan exchanged a guilty look with Grady and then reached out and nudged Mia’s chin. “You don’t need stitches?”
    “It was just a scratch.” She rolled up her sleeve. “I did get a shot, though, thanks to you.”
    He inspected the red dot on her upper arm. “I think the paramedics would’ve thought of that all on their own.”
    “Do you have the rock, Chief? Maybe we should take it in as…uh, evidence.” Grady colored up to roots of his hair.
    Dylan dug the sharp-edged rock from his pocket and held it out. “Sure, but you’re not going to get any prints off it, and I don’t think anyone’s going to step forward and claim it as their very own